Explore the World on the Web

Level: Literacy

Prior Knowledge: Letters of the alphabet; ability to read and write names of countries; some basic keyboarding

Materials:

Computers with color graphics capable Internet connectivity Map of your local area (Paper and colored markers if you decide to have the class draw maps or flags)

Objectives:

1. Become comfortable going to a URL; enjoy the graphics
2. Click on a link
3. Describe national flags; identify map features
4. Use scroll bar on Web page to find countries

Time: At least one hour; more if desired/possible

Lesson Plan

1. Talk about the flag of the US and of your state. What does it look like? What are its colors? Ask if anybody knows what some other flags look like; give time for anybody who can to describe another flag.

2. Look at a map. Show how a star within a circle represents a national capital, and how rivers, lakes, and oceans are shown in blue. Talk about local bodies of water (location, name, how they might look on a map) and find them on the map.

3. Tell class that you are going to look at some flags and maps ion the Internet. 

4. Compare URL to a phone number of a street address. Review conventions of wwriting phone numbers and street addresses, then move into conventions of writing URLs (http://, www, dots without spaces between segments of the address).

 5. List on board and review new vocabulary (URL, http, www, dot, Web site, link).

6. Demonstrate how to get to the web from your particular software. Help learners use notes or symbols to remember the steps, and write them down. Show what a link looks like and how to click on it. 

7. Write this URL on the board: http://www.countries.com

8. Set class at computers in pairs or threes. Upload software, then go to above URL. Show how to use scroll bars to select countries and click on them. The flag and some facts about the country are shown. Click on the link to the map; find the capital and major water resources. 

9. Walk arond the class making sure that everybodyis finding the material satisfactorily. Encourage learners to find a variety of countries from different continents.

Evaluation:

Can learners make accurate oral descriptions (or acceptable drawings) of the colors and designs of the flags of at kleast three countries? Have they identified and remembered the capitals and water resources of at least three countries? Learners should be able to answer oral questions on what they have learned the next day.

Dorine S. Houston (v2188g@vm.temple.edu)
Director Institute for Global Communication
Philadelphia, PA